1. Field
The present disclosure is directed to wireless communication devices. More particularly, the present disclosure is directed to a method and apparatus for signaling uplink scheduling information.
2. Introduction
Wireless communication devices used in today's society include mobile phones, personal digital assistants, portable computers, and various other electronic communication devices. New wireless technologies are continually being developed to support increasing demands for better reliability during voice calls, for improved throughput during Internet and other data connections, and for other desirable features. These new wireless technologies are often designed to accommodate older wireless technologies so users of older wireless communication devices can still use their devices on newer networks and, conversely, so that users of newer wireless communication devices can use their devices on older networks.
Unfortunately, such backward compatibility may hinder the full potential of new wireless technologies. For example, an older mobile phone using an older technology, such as Enhanced General Packet Radio Service (EGPRS), may operate on the same channel as a newer mobile phone using a newer variant of EGPRS technology, such as Enhanced General Packet Radio Service 2-B (EGPRS2-B). To ensure proper communications for the older EGPRS mobile phone, however, the newer EGPRS2-B mobile phone may be forced to use the older EGPRS technology for its communications and may accordingly experience reduced performance. Such is the case when both an EGPRS mobile device and an EGPRS2-B mobile device are assigned to a same uplink time slot by a base station serving both mobile devices.
Thus, there is a need for methods and apparatus for signaling uplink scheduling information that provides for increased performance when a newer, backward-compatible wireless device and an older, non-forward-compatible wireless device are assigned to a same uplink time slot by a base station serving both wireless devices.